DaY One in the Sales Beat!

Swami quickly got refreshed and called up the S.O.(Sales Officer) for Kanpur, Prasad Vajpayee so that Swami can join him and get working as a Sales officer for Confetti.(For the uninitiated, every FMCG company makes their future Area Sales Managers work like a Sales Officer whom they manage in the future, Each SO has a territory assigned to him to take care of).

Prasad Vajpayee was a Sr.Sales officer for the company and had a good reputation amongst all senior executives of the company on account of his work. Many Area Sales Manager Trainees like Swami and also Sales Officer trainees were always sent to him for training from the North branch. Vajpayee on the other hand was quite fed up with trainees who were not keen to soil their hands and go the extra mile and rightly so since he put effort behind trainees. He had made up his mind to put Swami through some rigorous training and check his urge and desire to learn.

Swami on the other hand was quite hungry since he had to skip his dinner on account of non-availability of food, while it was too late for breakfast when he reached Kanpur. Vajpayee was busy on the streets of Kanpur in Raiway Bazar Market when Swami called him. Swami was duly given directions of a Pan outlet near the Railway station to meet up with Vajpayee and the Distributor Salesman in their beat. These directions reminded Swami of his words to his fellow FMCG mates while parting at college, that they can bump into each other at some retail outlet or pan outlet during their careers.

Meanwhile, as designated they met up and Swami duly introduced himself and inturn got introduced to the Distributor Salesman Ashwini. The day passed by with Swami observing the selling at each outlet and tactics used by Vajpayee and Ashwini at each outlet. Kanpur was simmering hot and monsoon here was next to negligible every year. It rained somewhat in end July, but it was only second week of June now.All in all... Swami was ready for a scorching sales stint in Central Uttar Pradesh.

By mid afternoon, Swami, Vajpayee and Ashwini had covered number of outlets and now Swami was feeling the heat of his hungry stomach. It was almost 24 hrs and Swami had not had anything except some liquids in the form of water. That is precisely when he, Vajpayee and Ashwini decided to take a tea break and Swami gulped some "Bun with Maska Marke"(Bun with Butter, served with Tea in many parts of India). This small break did wonders for Swami's stomach and he was quite charged up again.

Swami was duly impressed by Vajpayee's working and his efforts to place Confetti products at all possible outlets in the beat. Places where retailers had thousand excuses of not buying a product, Bajpai had 1001 reasons for them to buy it, while at places where retailers were willing to buy three products Vajpayee made sure that they try two more products with the ones they already wanted. Be it Variety selling or being one step ahead of the smart retailers in UP, Swami was making a note of things to watch out for. Ashwini the distributor's sales man was playing second fiddle for the day in the presence of Bajpai, while Vajpayee also made it sure that he stays motivated at all times.

Swami had always heard about the aggresion of people in north and he was now a witness to it in the form of some retailers. He was reminded of his Senior's(in Confetti) words who had asked the Trainees, their opinion on whether there was a difference in the behaviour of people to the north of Narmada and South of Narmada. He saw retailers in all moods, some dejected, some excited, some happy and some whining about poor sales, while some literally pouncing with anger and some not at all in a mood to talk. He began hearing lines like "Sahab ab to sanata laga hain"(Sir there is absence of activity in market).

At the end of day's work Vajpayee did enquire about where Swami was put up and why he had not stayed in the hotel suggested by him. Swami smartly put away the question since he did not want to tell him that a junior Summer Trainee who had just returned from Kanpur had warned him not to stay there.The reason being:- Rats abounded the Hotel and hence everything from baggage to clothes was subject to danger.The end of the day also saw Swami taking a new mobile no in UP to stay connected and at this moment he was realsing how handy and important mobile phones were! This was especially for folks in Sales like Swami and who travelled alone!

Vajpayee while leaving also told Swami that they would be visiting upcountry towns Rura, Farukhabad, Kannauj and Chibramau during the week and Swami was quite excited and thrilled at the prospects of seeing the Hindi heartland!

Next Update:- Swami in upcountry towns of Central Uttar Pradesh